New Years Realisation
by mattiboi
Summary: New Years Eve one-shot. Cato and Peeta have been together for three years now and what's suppose to be a night of celebration goes completely wrong. The question is will he make back to Peeta before the last stroke of midnight.


**Firstly HAPPY NEW YEAR! Hope everyone had an amazing christmas! :D **

**This kind of was inspired by a mix of this, Blueberrychills christmas fic, my life at the moment, actually getting into the 'festive' season. Its short and quick but I liked it so I thought I'd post it. I'm really looking forward to getting back to all my stories over the new year. I know I've been saying that the last few months but I really am working on it.**

**Anyways a little angst and fluff for you all to start off the new year. WARNING: swearing... I think that's really it... this may be the most tamed fic I've ever written... maybe. haha. **

**Love you all, please review, it means the world.**

New Years Realisation

Regret. That's the emotion washing over him in that moment as he rushed through the crowds of people all to busy enjoying themselves as the countdown gets closer and closer. He pushed his way through a group of overly intoxicated girls, one latching on to the front of his top as he tried to walk through them.

"Wait, your perfect! We can totally ki-" She slurs, eyes heavy.

"Sorry, I'm looking for someone specific." He spoke over her, grabbing a hold of her wrists and yanking them off his now crinkled white top before he continued on, eyes searching in every direction for his prize.

He knew he had to make before midnight, anything passed that would be unacceptable. Dread crept into his mind, if he didn't make it would his love's lips be kissed by someone other then his own? He growled at the thought, knowing nothing would piss him off more then for that to happen. Once satisfied that the boy in question was not out on the street he headed back into the building, opting to run up the stairs instead of waiting for the slow elevator, likely to breakdown at any moment.

As he ran up them, two at a time he went over what had happened over the course of the day, trying to pinpoint what he had done wrong to end up in a situation like this.

It had started like any normal day, waking up just past seven in the morning. He remembered the warmth he felt against his chest, that content feeling he got often walking in that position. Golden hair tickled his chin, breathing in the scent as his arms tightened around the body in front and half underneath his own. It smelled of fresh bread, oil paints and something distinct to the boy in his arms. He breathed him in deeply, stretching his tangled legs, slightly grinding his morning hardness into the round muscles of Peeta's backside.

He got a mumbled groan in reply, and hand weaving it's fingers into his own before Peeta's breathing went back to a slow steady pace. He laid there for a while knowing he didn't have to move just yet, on one hand his body was screaming at him for release but his his mind told him to let his bed mate sleep a bit longer.

He laid still for as long as possible before his want was to much, carefully he pulled away, kissing the others shoulder before slipping out of the warm bed and heading to the bathroom. He washed his face, staring back at the mirror. His almost platinum hair was scruffy this morning but he didn't care, he'd be having a shower soon enough.

He walked back to the room and slipped a pair of loose black gym shorts up his naked body before grabbing a pair of sock and his runners. He looked back to take in the sleeping form still in his bed, eyes greedily taking in the soft creamy skin. His eyes wondered down the boy's smooth back before stopping at the plump curves of Peeta's backside that were annoyingly covered by the white sheet.

He felt the pull, the warmth in the pit of his stomach but turned around and slipped out the door as he headed toward the gym he had set up on the first floor of his apartment. He had to put all this pent up energy to use so he pulled on his socks and shoes, doing up the laces tightly before double knotting them. Something he realised he and Peeta both did.

He grabbed a cold water bottle from the fridge as he passed the kitchen before walking into his gym. He grabbed his ipod, wrapping the arm band that held it on his upper arm before putting in his headphones and pressing play.

He doesn't know how long he had been going when he feels eyes on his back, he knew he'd done at least an hour of cardio on the treadmill and bike before he had started working on his strength training, which he decided to double today since he knew it was unlikely he'd come down here tomorrow more or less hungover from tonight.

He put the weights in his hands down before turning around to find deep blue eyes taking in his legs before climbing up his body slowly before reaching his own icy blue gaze. He returned the smile on the other boys lips before yanking out his headphones.

"Come to join me?" He smirked knowing that would never happen.

"Nope, just thought I'd watch." Peeta raised an eyebrow in return before a cheeky grin appeared. "There's nothing quite as fascinating as watching you do lunges and squats in the shorts." He paused for a minute before his smiled widened. "Actually I take that back, watching you do them naked would be even more fascinating."

"Really now." He smirked, thumbs dipping into the elastic waistband of the shorts.

Peeta shrugged. "Probably."

Cato swaggered up to the other boy, noticing Peeta was wearing a pair of his old sweat pants. He loved it when Peeta worn his clothes, especially in public for others to see. His hands went straight around the others hips, sliding down, both hands grabbing hold of his favourite body part on Peeta, well apart from his eyes but he'd never admit to that in public. He leaned down, lips ghosting Peeta's ear.

"Feel like helping me work out some more, I could do with a bit more cardio I think." He whispered low and seductively.

Peeta just snorted in reply, somehow slipping out of his hold. "Not before coffee, you know how I feel about exercise or anything for that matter before coffee."

"You don't even drink the stuff, I do while you drink freaking tea." He growled in frustration, knowing the other boy was teasing on purpose.

Peeta turned to look at him and shrugged. "Guess you'll just have to drink some coffee then."

Cato sighed grabbing a towel out from a cupboard by the door before he wiped himself down, his skin cooling down as he threw the towel into a basket before following Peeta into the kitchen.

"You don't have to work today do you?" Peeta asked with his head in the fridge, pulling out a carton of juice.

"Only for a few hours, I've got one class before a p.t session after lunch then I'm all yours." Cato replied grabbing an ice coffee out of the fridge.

"You better be, I want to spend some alone time with you before we head to Clove's tonight."

"Don't worry you'll have me for a bit before we head to Clove's. What time did you want to head there anyway?" Cato stood by the sink, watching Peeta fill a glass of juice before returning the carton to the fridge.

"Well I have something planned for dinner at seven-thirty for the two of us, so I guess we can go straight after that." Peeta shrugged.

"Sounds good to me." He finished his ice coffee before he walked up behind Peeta, pushing himself up against Peeta's back. His hand held on to the others hips as his lips pressed up against Peeta's shoulder.

"You stink, go shower." Peeta grumbled, sipping his juice.

"You said you'd have sex with me after coffee mister." He kiss up Peeta's neck until his lips we pressed against the shell of Peeta's ear. He felt Peeta tensing up at the feeling before a huff or air came out.

"I said nothing of the sorts, go shower would you." Peeta replied, obviously trying to keep his voice controlled.

"Fine I'll go shower but if your sexy ass hasn't joined me in the next twenty minutes I swear to god you'll regret it." He whispered into Peeta's ear before nibbling lightly on it.

"What ever you reckon." Peeta chuckled sipping more of his juice.

He headed up to the bedroom, stripping before getting into the shower. He let his muscles relax as the warm water calmed him. Thankfully Peeta appeared shortly after, letting Cato claim his body the way he liked.

By the time they were done, having to clean themselves again their skin was pruned and wrinkled. Cato dried himself then got dressed in his gym uniform before watching Peeta crawl back into his bed.

"Eat something while I'm gone." He said climbing onto the bed and on top of Peeta.

"You to, don't think I didn't notice that there wasn't any dishes in the sink this morning." Peeta replied kissing his cheek and wrapping his arms around Cato's back.

"I will don't worry." He kissed up Peeta's neck, happy to just be together like this with Peeta.

"I'll probably be gone by the time you get back, have to finish a painting for the gallery. But I might take a nap first." Peeta mumbled into his bare shoulder.

"Did I tire you out?" Cato smirked.

"A little, now go to work mister and let me sleep."

Cato kissed Peeta on the lips before getting up as he was told and headed down to kitchen. He grabbed his wallet, keys and phone before he left his apartment, Peeta still inside.

He walked to the gym he worked at, only a few blocks down, signing in before eating some fruit in the trainers tea room. His class went by quickly before he went and did his one on one with one of his clients.

It hit three-thirty when he made it back to his apartment, Peeta having already left. A note sitting on his kitchen bench told him he should meet Peeta as a certain address at twenty passed seven. He typed the address into his phone before he headed up to his room. He had hours to kill before then so he decided to put on a load of washing and tidy the house up a bit.

He notice the bed was already made once he had made it to his bedroom. Peeta. He smiled to himself before returning to the laundry and throwing his wet clothes into the dryer. By then it was four-thirty and he had nothing left to really do so he put his feet up and turned on the television hoping something would distract him and make time go faster.

He had not expected to fall asleep at some point but sure enough his phone's loud ring woke him abruptly. He jumped up, slightly disorientated before headed back to the kitchen where he had left his phone. He looked at the screen and his stomach knotted, Peeta was calling and it was now seven forty-five.

He slipped the answer button bringing the phone to his ear. "Hey." Was he could get out before Peeta started yelling on the other end of the phone.

"Where are you? What happened? Is everything alright?"

"Ah, yeah sorry I'm running late, I came back from the gym and sort of fell asleep." Cato said sheepishly, knowing he'd get a grilling for this.

"Are you kidding me? You couldn't of set an alarm or something?"

"Well I didn't plan to fall asleep, it kind of happened." Cato shrugged, it was only dinner he could make it up to him later on.

"Kind of happened? What like you forgot the gallery opening two weeks ago or my exhibit last month, or having to 'work late' when we were supposed to go to dinner with Delly and her knew boyfriend before that. Why can't you show an interest in anything I plan?" Peeta snapped.

This was obviously a lot more then just sleeping through dinner, Cato stopped himself from rolling his eyes. He knew Peeta was upset and for good reason he had been pretty flakey but it wasn't completely intentional. Sure he he forgot dinner that time and went out with mates instead and used work as an excuse once or twice to get out of a few things but he made an effort, he's sure he did. "It's not like that, I really didn't mean to miss dinner babe, I'm sorry okay. I promise to make it up to you, we'll go out for dinner some time next week."

"Whatever Cato, I'm over it. I'll see you at Clove's." Peeta hung up before Cato could get another word in.

He stood there dumbfounded, phone still to his ear. Shit it was just dinner, what the big deal anyway. He growled at himself throwing the phone down as he felt his anger rising. Peeta was always so over the top, he didn't get it. He sworn to himself knowing they'd both be pissed off probably most of the night now. That was one way to celebrate new years, he snorted at the thought before he noticed he was pacing back and north around his kitchen. 'Screw it' he thought before heading up to his room, throwing off his clothes and heading to the bathroom.

He got ready at a leisurely pace, stopping to grab a beer or two while he shaved and got dressed. By the time his taxi had arrived he was onto his sixth, or maybe seventh. He didn't care either way, hopping into the cab down on the street below before grabbing out his phone to text Clove.

_'Is he already there?' _He sent looking out the window as the taxi passed groups of people on the street.

**'Yes, what the hell did you do?'**

_'I kind of overslept and missed dinner, why is he pissed? What did he say?' _He inwardly sighed.

**'Seriously? *rolls eyes* He didn't say much just that your were an ass before doing two rounds of tequila shots.'**

_'Okay, be there soon.' _He sent back letting his head fall back against the seat. Last time Peeta had done tequila Cato had forgotten an anniversary and as the night went on he got worse and worse before blowing up at Cato which resulted in Cato with a red cheek and two weeks radio silence from Peeta.

They pulled up to Clove's apartment building a moment later, She lived in a ridiculously large loft that no doubt would be full to the brim with people tonight. He paid the cab driver before getting out and looking up at the building in front of him. There was a fair few people out on the streets, talking and smoking, Clove must have banned that from happening in her apartment.

He decided to just play it cool, see where Peeta's head was at and hopefully they'd both be able to sort out whatever Peeta was feeling later. He took the shitty elevator, immediately regretting not taking the stairs, sure it was easily but it was moving so slow as if it might run down at any second.

When he finally made it to Clove's floor he walked up to her door wide open, looking around to see if he could spot either Peeta or Clove in the crowded loft. He spotted Clove first, and make a bee line straight for her. As he walked up to the make shift bar she had arranged she spotted him, throwing her arms around him.

"You finally made it." She smiled, though her eyes told a different story. He knew even if Clove was his beat friend shed still side with Peeta, she always sided with Peeta. That was something he could not understand, she was his best friend for Christ's sake.

"Where is he?" He asked looking around after returning the hug.

"On the dance floor with Delly." She shouted back over the loud thumping music. Cato turned towards the dance floor about to take off but was pulled back by one of Clove's arms. "I think it might be smart to let him cool down and give him some space. Hang out with me for a bit, come on let's get you a drink"

"Fine." He huffed in reply turning to the bar and ordering a beer.

"You know he loves you right." Clove pulled him along to where a couple of couches sat, opposite the dance floor.

"I know, I just don't get why he gets so dramatic and emotional, it was only dinner." He slouched into the couch.

"You know he's different to us, he was brought up in a different world Cato. You can't get mad because he expressed what he's feeling unlike us." Clove patted his arm listening to him carefully.

"I know it's just hard sometimes."

The next hour or two was a blur, the beers didn't stop coming, at some point he lost Clove and ended up talking with Glimmer and Marvel. He had spotted Peeta a few time, hand in hand with Delly, dancing, talking over by the bar or over by the balcony. There was two guys behind them most of the night, chatting away happily.

It didn't really bug Cato all to much, assuming one was Delly's new boyfriend, he was still yet to formerly meet and obviously a friend of his. But as time went on the second man's presence was starting to get to him. It was only subtle things at first, the smile he gave Peeta, was able to make Peeta laugh, the close proximity of their bodies.

Then he noticed how they were dancing, the fact the guy in question was getting Peeta a drink, the way the guy started to stare at Peeta. He knew Peeta was oblivious to it, Peeta always was. Peeta could walk into a room and he'd never notice the way heads turned in his presence, how people hanged off every word that left his mouth. He never noticed how guys, even girls eyes would rake down that body of his, lust filling their eyes.

It made Cato want noting more to pull him into his arms and growl 'mine'. To mark him so everyone knew, to hold him tight and show everyone who he belonged with, who he belonged to. And with how this guy was acting around Peeta he knew he'd have to do it soon.

He eyed the guy up, he was tall, not so much as Cato but still a fair few inches over Peeta, was older noticeably by about four or five years, had bronze hair and one of those faces tween girls gushed over. Cato himself didn't find him at all that attractive but he knew the other man was in a way. He had a well built body, not as heavy set and muscular as his but it was defined well and he dressed to accentuate it. His skin was overly tanned and had one of those overly white, perfect teeth smiles that only celebrities had.

He watched carefully as the four of them talked happily, Delly leaning on her new squeeze chatting with Peeta before he noticed a hand brush against one of Peeta's hips. And that did it, without even excusing himself he pushed off the wall he had been leaning on, passed Glimmer and headed straight for Peeta. He bumped into someone as he made his was over, catching Peeta's attention.

The blonde boy obviously saw the look on his face and turned quickly in his direction taking hurried steps towards him. He intercepted Cato from his planned destination by wrapping his arms around Cato. Cato returned the embrace glaring at the man that stood not to far from him. His glare was met with a questioning surprised look.

"Don't even Cato, please. He wasn't trying anything I swear." Peeta mumbled into his chest, loud enough to hear over the music.

Cato just replied with a grunt, pulled the boys faces up to his own, still staring down his possible competition for Peeta's attention, silently screaming at him 'that's right, as soon as I'm with a few feet his in my arms not yours.' He greedily attached his lips to Peeta's, showing everyone around that Peeta was his, all his and only his.

After a few minutes Peeta pulled away. "I think you have made your point."

"What?" Cato glared at Peeta, refusing to let him go.

"Everyone gets it, I'm yours, you can go back to your corner and continue to sulk and ignore me okay." Peeta grumbled as he attempted to pull himself out from Cato's grip.

"Sulk? I was giving you space to let you cool down." He shot back quickly.

"Right space is maybe an hour or so of letting me cool down before the urge to make it up to me and the need to spend time with me takes over. Not finally deciding to show some interest in me the second you think someone else might be."

"He was getting to comfortable, was basically about to pull you into his lap and kiss you." He growled back at Peeta.

Peeta rolled his eyes. "So it's not like you were going to do done it any time soon."

"What?" Cato finally let go of Peeta's waist and stared down at him.

"I'm sick of you only ever showing interest in me when you feel the slightest bit threatened by someone else." Peeta went to turn away but Cato grabbed onto his arm quickly.

"That's bullshit Peeta." He spat turning the boy around.

"Fuck off you treat me like a possession not someone you love." Peeta yanked his arm free before disappearing into the crowd.

"Fuck you Peeta." He yelled storming off in the other direction, which happened to be the door.

He stormed down the stairs and headed out on to the street, passing people whose joy and merriment only pissed him off more. He just walked for a while, going over the words Peeta had yelled in his head before his phone going off broke him out of his train of thoughts.

**'You do realise there is twenty-five minutes to midnight.'**

Clove, of course. 'So.'

**'You are a fucking idiot Cato, why would you let the both of you start another year together like this, it's basically asking him to jump ship.'**

He read her text three times over, she was right. He had fucked up three times tonight and instead of spending the last twenty minutes of a good year together and celebrating the mark of a new one he was in the middle of a random street by himself.

So he head back to the apartment as fast as he could, it didn't matter if he had to sprint he had to make it back to Peeta before midnight. Dread crept into his mind, if he didn't make it would his love's lips be kissed by that guy who had been all over Peeta before? He growled at the thought, knowing nothing would piss him off more then for that to happen. Once satisfied that the boy in question was not out on the street he headed back into the building, opting to run up the stairs instead of waiting for the slow elevator, likely to breakdown at any moment.

As he ran up them, two at a time he went over what had happened over the course of the day, trying to pinpoint what he had done wrong to end up in a situation like this. He should have been at dinner and there was no excuse for that, he knew that and rightfully he'd take the blame for pissing Peeta off. What he didn't get was what Peeta had said, he shows interest in Peeta constantly or he wouldn't have him over at his apartment all the time, wouldn't do the dinners or have met Peeta's brothers.

Why didn't Peeta get how important he was to Cato? Sure they still lived separately but in all honesty Peeta was over most nights these days and they had been together for well over threes years now. Peeta wasn't a possession to him, he was so much more. He grabbed his phone out to look at the time, eleven forty-nine. He was cutting it close.

He opened it to quickly send a message to both Delly and Clove. '_Where.'_ was all he sent and he continued up the stairs. He thought over the address Peeta had told him to be at, it was vaguely familiar suddenly before it everything came to a rushing halt. There wasn't a restaurant at that address just a park, a park they had first had sex in against a tree in the darkness of the early morning after they had stumbled out of a club drunk. A park where Peeta had then arranged their first date, a park Peeta had first told him he loved Cato and told him he was okay with Cato not being ready to say it back.

'You know he loves you right' Clove's text sounded alarms in his brain and he stopped for a moment. Peeta felt like a possession, that Cato only wanted him when someone else wanted him. Why would he feel that if he knew Cato loved him back? It was simple, while he knew he did love Peeta and Peeta probably knew it, at least Cato had hopped Peeta new it, the reality of the situation was he had never said it back. Not once in the entire three years they had been together.

It all made sense now, Peeta had always questioned his value to others, especially because of how his mother had treated him growing up. Peeta was the boy that felt everything and showed it, needed that reassurance that he was loved, that people did care. And Cato was the guy that was taught to be strong, that emotions were weak. He'd never said those three words to anyone, not his sister, or parents, not past lovers or even Clove.

He hand gotten comfortable with Peeta without realising it. He took that love for granted instead for telling Peeta just how badly he needed it from him. He bolted at his realisation, he needed Peeta, he needed to say what he realised he had felt for a long time now. He burst through the stairwell door rushing to pass people as he entered Clove's loft again.

He looked down at his phone eleven fifty-five. He had five minutes to stop Peeta and tell him what he knew Peeta needed to hear. He got a text a second later.

**'Balcony'**

Cato shuffled passed everyone, trying to keep a quick pace until he made it to the balcony doors. He took a moment to slow down his breathing a bit before he stepped out and saw Peeta looking out at the city by himself. He walked towards him, hands shaking suddenly.

"What took you so long with my dri-" Peeta stopped suddenly when he realised it was Cato who was walking towards him. "Cato I don't wan-"

Cato hushed Peeta, stepping close to the other boy, until he was just inches away. "Peeta, I just, I didn't-"

"It's okay I know you didn't mean to-"

"Just let me say what I need to okay." Cato stopped himself before he yelled again, grabbing onto Peeta's hand.

"Okay." Peeta nodded. "Are okay you shaking C."

He nodded taking a deep breath before it all came tumbling out at once. "Iloveyou."

"What?" Peeta's mouth dropped.

After taking another deep breath Cato repeated himself. "I, I love you Peeta. I have for a long time and I know I should have said it sooner but-"

Cato was cut short, his speech swallowed as Peeta's lips were suddenly against his own. Peeta arms were wrapped tightly around his neck, his own hands holding Peeta against his body. They stayed like that for a minute before the sound of a glass shattering pulled them apart.

"I guess you made up them." The bronzed man from before said sourly before turning around and walked off.

Cato turned back to Peeta kissing his forehead, holding him tightly. "Mine." He said accidently instead of just thinking it.

"Yours." Peeta smiled into his chest.

"Peeta I um, I want you to move in." Cato found himself saying on impulse. Now that he had finally said it he wasn't ever going to be able to take it back. Not that he would ever wanted to.

"I love you too, by the way. So of course I'll move in." Peeta smiled, a smiled Cato had never seen before, it was more then lust or passion or happiness, more then his love for Cato, it was as if for the first time Peeta was complete.

The world around them seemed to dim, to slowly slip away from them. Cato could vaguely hear people loudly counting down but before they got to zero the noise was gone and his lips were against Peeta's. And that was enough, it was everything to them both. It was the first time in their relationship neither of them doubted their love for the other or the love the other had for them. They were complete, two halves of the same heart and they would never looking back to the shadows again.


End file.
